1. How long do you spend getting ready for a
night out? At a guess I would say that if
you're a woman you can probably spend 1
hour upwards preening and titivating and if
you're a man you can be showered, shaved
and out of the door within 20 minutes
(unless, of course, you're a metro-sexual in
which case you probably take longer than a
woman!).
sex online
2. Now let me ask you how long you would spend (or have spent)
writing a profile for an online dating site? Less than 5 minutes,
possibly 10 minutes maximum? When you consider that you literally
have minutes to impress someone and stand out from the rest in the
online dating scene, don't you agree that more time and effort should
be put into writing an online profile? If you are an online dater, I'm
sure you will agree with me that when you are searching for a
partner online you will first of all look at the profiles with photos and,
secondly, you will look at the profiles where people have taken the
time to write something about themselves So if you have no photo
and/or an incomplete and uninformative profile, don't be surprised if
you inbox isn't full to the brim with messages! I'm going to share a
few tips with you to get you started writing an eye-catching profile
Once you've read them take some time to think about what you are
going to write and jot down some quick notes before hitting the
3. keyboard Grab a friend If you don't like writing about yourself or
think you are going to get writer's block it's a good idea to enlist the
help of a friend; the kind of friend who is always saying to you "I can't
understand why you're still single, you're such a catch" Ask your
friend what your star qualities are and he or she will come up with a
million and one positive things about you which you would have
never thought of or dared to say about yourself Strike a pose The
most effective way to get noticed online, is to include a photo
Choose a clear photo that shows in your best light and preferably
smiling - it makes much better viewing! Choose a fun username This
is the name which you will be known as by members on the dating
site I would advise you to use a name other than your real name to
remain anonymous Try and choose a name that is fun and reflects
your personality, i e
4. Sporty Sam or Disco Queen Do not use a name which is sexually
provocative or offensive Captivate your audience Make your profile
really stand out so that any person reading it will think "Wow, I have
to get to know this person!" Online dating sites have made it easy for
you when completing your profile by providing drop down menus for
basic questions such as your appearance, lifestyle, hobbies but you
will also be given additional space to write something yourself Use
this space wisely to provide a more detailed description about your
personality, your interests and what you are looking for The key is to
be confident and talk positively about yourself without coming across
bigheaded Don't leave an empty space If you feel you have covered
everything by answering the profile questions – please do not leave
the additional space blank or write "ask me", "tell you later" or "I don't
know what to say" Members will see your profile and think sex
online you're either not serious about dating or that if you can't be
bothered to put some effort into writing a profile you will have the
same approach in a relationship – effortless! Instead extend on the
information already provided, for example, if you have stated you like
travelling talk about some of the places you have visited Ask
questions If there is a particular place you visited and fell in love with,
ask anyone who has been there to get in touch with you so you can
reminisce together Asking a question in your profile makes it easy
for other members to respond to Be Honest Don't lie about interests;
you will get found out! For example, don't say you love long walks in
the countryside if you really like to dance the night away in nightclubs
every weekend
5.
6. You'll attract the wrong person and waste both of your time As with
any other kind of dating, it is always best to be honest from the start
so answer all questions honestly and finding your perfect match will
be much easier! Show your funny side I think if you can make
someone laugh or someone makes you laugh, you're on the path to
a good relationship Show people that you have a sense of humour,
e g talk about a scene from one of your all time favourite comedies
and you may strike a chord with someone else who found the same
thing just as funny as you Dream a little Write about your dreams
and ambitions If your dream is to travel the world but you haven't
quite got round to it there may be someone out there who would like
to share this experience with you If you've been lucky enough to
fulfil your dreams, share your story with other members Don't
mention the ex! Ok, so you may have just come out of a relationship
and be feeling sad and lonely but don't write about it It will put a lot
of people off and you may come across desperate, which is not an
attractive trait
7. Make online dating a new start for you and promise yourself not to
dwell on past relationships Your expectations What are your
expectations from joining an online dating site? Tell people the kind
of relationship you are hoping to find but don't say you are looking for
marriage if you are really looking for a casual fling and vice versa
Again, you will waste both of your time Write a chapter, not a book
By this I mean, don't tell your whole life story in your profile I
encourage you to provide as much information as possible about
yourself but use short bursts of information, sectioned by
paragraphs, rather than writing a long essay so whoever is reading it
is intrigued to find out more about you Be safe Finally, do not
include any personal information in your profile, e g your e-mail
address, home address, work address or telephone number A
reputable dating site will remove any personal information before it
appears live on site; this is to ensure that they provide you with a
safe online dating environment Once you've completed your profile,
read through it or ask a trusted friend to read through it and ask,
would you reply to this person? If yes, it's all systems go
